Port Vale vs Luton Town FC (28th Feb 2026)

28/02/2026 PORT VALE 1-1 LUTON TOWN

Hatters held at Vale Park

Wells on target but Town's winless streak on the road continues

The Town ended a run of six successive away league defeats but were held to a point by bottom-of-the-table Port Vale.

Nahki Wells’ early goal got the Hatters off to a dream start inside five minutes but the hosts, 10 points adrift of safety at the other end of the table, earned a point when Ben Waine slotted past Josh Keeley just before the half-hour mark.

Both sides had chances to win the game, with Nigel Lonwijk and substitute Ali Al-Hamadi going close for the Town, however, it ended all square to leave the Hatters five points shy of the top six.

It began with Jack Wilshere making five changes to the side that beat Plymouth in the week and one of those, Emilio Lawrence, was instrumental in the goal that led to the Hatters taking an early lead.

Jordan Clark and Joe Johnson combined down the left to send the on-loan winger down the flank and his cross was on a plate for Wells to convert from close range for his second in as many league games.

Ahead, the Town continued to press for an immediate second. Lawrence went for goal himself on 19 minutes but his effort sailed over the bar before the midfielder was involved again three minutes later when his shot was blocked and, amid a goalmouth scramble, Clark’s shot from close range was saved.

It was end to end, however, and the hosts came close to equalising moments later when George Hall’s free-kick from the edge of the box flashed inches wide.

Back came the Hatters and it was almost 2-0 on 28 minutes when Kal Naismith kept George Saville’s free-kick alive at the back-post to cross for Lonwijk. The defender rose brilliantly to nod a header goalwards but Vale goalkeeper Joe Gauci produced a fine save to tip the ball over.

And it would prove to be a crucial as, a minute later, the hosts were level. From a long goal-kick downfield the ball eventually broke free for Waine and he slotted a tidy finish low past Keeley.

It was tough to take for the Town but the chances kept coming and Wells nipped past Gauci at the other end once more but despite picking out Jake Richards, the home side were able to clear.

After half-time the Hatters ramped up the pressure in the opening stages but it was the hosts that came mighty close to taking the lead shortly before the hour when former Town loanee Jayden Stockley’s thumping header was turned around the post well by Keeley.

After that fine stop, Wilshere made a double change, introducing Kasey Palmer and Al-Hamadi. Both were not far away from putting the Town back ahead – with Al-Hamadi’s low shot with five minutes left stopped by Gauci.

Keeley then rescued the Town again with a minute to play with an excellent save to prevent home substitute Martin Sherif from curling home a beauty with a minute left on the clock.

Six added minutes were added but neither side could force a winner which helped neither in their respective quests at the top and bottom of the table.

It’s back to Kenilworth Road on Wednesday with Wembley the target. We’ll see you then.

Town: Keeley, Jones (sub Morris 80), Johnson, Naismith, Lonwijk (sub Odoffin 80), Saville, Walsh (sub van den Berg 71), Clark, Richards (sub Palmer 61), Lawrence, Wells (sub Al-Hamadi 61).

Subs not used: Shea, Fox.

Attendance: 7,335, including 1,168 backing the Town.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbPZG7XK7uo – Jack Wilshere interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB35OnEfAjk – match highlights

League One: Port Vale 1 Luton Town 1

Hatters end losing away run but only claim a point at bottom side Port Vale

Luton finally ended their run of six straight away defeats with a 1-1 draw at bottom side Port Vale this afternoon, but it still wasn’t a performance or result that appeased those in the away end at Vale Park.

The Hatters even had the luxury of taking the lead inside five minutes through Nahki Wells, but despite a first half that had plenty of attacking intent, were pegged back by their hosts, who appear destined for the drop this term, Town simply didn’t show anywhere near enough thrust in the final third to go on and win it.

With victories needed to try and get into the play-offs, which most outside of the dressing room bubble at Kenilworth Road have already written off, the visitors had a great chance to do it against a side that had only won twice on home soil all year, but an increasingly frustrating second period meant Jack Wilshere’s side had to settle for their first point on the road since December 9, and that was only thanks to two brilliant saves from Josh Keeley, something a frustrated away end made their feelings perfectly clear about after the full time whistle

Prior to kick-off, Wilshere had made five changes to the side that beat Plymouth Argyle 2-1 in the Vertu Trophy on Tuesday evening, as Liam Walsh started for the first time since the 1-0 loss at Huddersfield last month, with Emilio Lawrence in for his first start since defeat at Plymouth Argyle just prior to that Terriers reverse, while Keeley, Joe Johnson and Nigel Lonwijk came in too.

Gideon Kodua and Mads Andersen missed out with injuries suffered against the Pilgrims, with Shayden Morris, Kasey Palmer and James Shea on the bench, which did include a fit-again Hakeem Odoffin and Ali Al-Hamadi. Although Town showed some good intent on their left to begin, it was the hosts who threatened first, George Hall cutting in and having a shot that was easy for Keeley.

Luton then made a mockery of their poor form in front of goal outside of Bedfordshire, drawing blanks in four of their last five fixtures, as they took the lead on just five minutes. It was a goal of real simplicity too, Lawrence getting the ball on the left and exchanging passes with Johnson, racing on to his through ball and crossing for Wells to prod home from a couple of yards out for his first goal on the road this season.

Town had their hearts in their mouths moments later when Hall cut inside Lonwijk and went between two Luton defenders, throwing himself theatrically to the floor, referee Lee Swabey immediately whistling only to incense the home crowd by booking the home attacker for a dive. Vale didn't let the goal rock them though, as they put Luton under the pump in the opening 10 minutes, Rhys Walters’ shot crucially blocked by Lonwijk as the recalled defender also got up well to head the resulting corner clear too.

Having weathered the storm, the Hatters were able to finally to mount some pressure of their own on 19 minutes, Walsh digging in well to find George Saville who released the lively Lawrence with a crossfield pass as the Manchester City loanee teased his man to curl in a shot that flew narrowly over. His next action saw Luton win a corner too and from the set-piece, Lawrence’s shot was blocked by a posse of defenders, Clark trying to find the net too, his attempt unable to pierce the mass of bodies in front of him.

Vale broke in what was still an end-to-end first period, Johnson booked for stopping the attack as Hall then fired his free kick inches wide with Keeley at full stretch. Town got down the other end with Saville’s deep free kick turned back into the area by Naismith, Lonwijk’s powerful header tipped over by Joe Gauci, while Saville’s corner was prodded off target by Naismith.

Just as it looked like the Hatters were building up a head of steam themselves, from the goal kick, Vale levelled with 29 minutes on the clock as a ball forward sliced Town’s defence open and Ben Waine raced clean through to easily beat the advancing Keeley. Wells then had a great chance to put Luton back in front on 35 minutes as with Gauci unwisely sprinting out of his goal, the forward nipped in to beat the keeper to the ball, but with the angle tight, he annoyingly didn’t trust his left foot to fire into the empty net, instead attempting to find a team-mate, his pass cut out by a Vale defender.

The second period saw Luton dominate possession and territory early on, but on a terrible playing surface meant they couldn’t quite find the final ball that was required, as they needed a brilliant save from Keeley to keep the scores level just before the hour mark, athletically turning over Stockley’s close range bullet header. Wilshere brought on Al-Hamadi and Palmer as the latter’s first action was to set up Lawrence at the back post who had two shots, the second deflecting behind for a corner.

However, Vale were soon winning a flag kick of their own when Lonwijk positioned himself well once more to get in the way of Waine’s cross and then Lawrence was able to prevent another attempt from Waine finding the net, while Hall continued to look a danger at the far post, his 70th minute header carefully watched into his gloves by Keeley.

With time running out, the game never became the grandstand finale that both sides wanted for different reasons, as although Vale launched the ball forward and tried to turn the visiting defence, Luton’s slow build-up drew more and more jeers from the travelling support, as Palmer’s clever threaded pass through to Al-Hamadi, his low shot gathered by Gauci with five minutes left, their only attempt on target all half.

Town were then indebted to another fantastic stop from Keeley moments later to prevent their away contingent being left with that all-too familiar sinking feeling on the road as he flung himself to his left to brilliantly turn away Martin Sherif’s curling attempt that was destined for the net. Six minutes of stoppage time were added, but the Hatters never really showed the belief to grab a winner, with boos ringing out from the packed stand behind Keeley’s net when a goal kick soon ended back with the Irishman, as despite the draw, there were further jeers towards the players afterwards.

Valiants: Joe Gauci, Connor Hall, Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel, Jayden Stockley (Andre Gray 67), Rhys Walters (Jordan Shipley 78), Funso Ojo, Liam Gordon, Ben Waine, Kyle John (C), Cameron Humphreys, George Hall (Martin Sherif 78). Subs not used: Ben Amos, Jaheim Headley, Grant Ward, Tyler Magloire.

Hatters: Josh Keeley, Izzy Jones (Shayden Morris 80), Nigel Lonwijk (Hakeem Odoffin 80), Kal Naismith, Joe Johnson, George Saville, Liam Walsh (Davy van den Berg 71), Jordan Clark, Jake Richards (Kasey Palmer 61), Emilio Lawrence, Nahki Wells (Ali Al-Hamadi 61).

Subs not used: James Shea, Harry Fox.

Booked: Hall 6, Johnson 22, Humphreys 25, Clark 40, Naismith 42, Waine 87.

Referee: Lee Swabey.

Attendance: 7,335 (1,180 Hatters).

Luton boss critical of Town's second half display at Vale Park

Town held to a 1-1 draw by relegation strugglers

Luton boss Jack Wilshere was critical of his side’s second half performance as they were held to a 1-1 draw by bottom of the table Port Vale this afternoon.

The Hatters had given themselves the best possible chance of ending a miserable run away from home when they took the lead after just five minutes through Nahki Wells’ goal from Emilio Lawrence’s cross. Town looked for a second, with a number of shots at Joe Gauci’s goal, Nigel Lonwijk going closest with a header that was palmed over the bar, before they were then pegged back when Ben Waine cut through the visitors’ back-line to score on the half hour.

After the interval, Luton never carried the same kind of forward momentum, having just one attempt on target, that Ali Al-Hamadi’s shot that was saved, while at the other end, Josh Keeley made two marvellous saves to ensure Luton did actually end their six game losing run outside of Bedfordshire.

On the performance after the interval, Wilshere said: “We didn’t do enough in the second half. I wanted us to be braver and especially in the first half after our goal I think we can keep our foot down and keep pushing them back, getting behind them, mixing it up sometimes to find Clicker (Jordan Clark) or to find Jake (Richards) and to attack that way or to get behind them which we stopped doing.

"Then they came back into the game, and in the second half it felt like there was one rhythm, we couldn’t change the tempo, or we couldn’t mix it up a little bit and that’s where we’re at. We have to look at it on Monday, we have to show the players it because we need to get better at it. We want to win of course we did, we set the team up the best way we thought we could win the game and actually I thought we started really well.

"We started on the front foot, picked the times where we decided to play, to get behind them, scored a good goal and then we have to get the second, keep the momentum and not allow them to turn it into the type of game they wanted. You have to accept at times that’s going to happen, you’re going to have to deal with that and I don’t think we dealt with that well enough today. We’ve been really good in my opinion at dealing with direct play, but you can see from the goal, we couldn’t quite get the first contact, but also the second balls today, we weren’t good enough.”